Stocking topping apparatus



wt. $23 19%.; J. HMNES, JR 1,977,953

STOCKING TOPPING APPARATUS Filed May 6, 1933 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR:

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J. HAINIES, JR 1,977,963

S'I 'OCKING TOPPING APPARATUS Filed May "6, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 WITNESSES: I N VEN TOR:

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STOCKING TOPPING APPARATUS Filed May 6, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Oct. 23,, 1934 J. HAINES, JR 9 1 STOCKING TOPPING' APPARATUS Filed May 6, 1953 s Sheets-Sheet 6 WITNESSES: IN VEIf/TOR: I

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Patented Oct. 23, 1934 srooxmc TOPPING armaa'rus Joseph Haines, Jr., Meadowbrook, Pa., assignor to Haines Hosiery Mills, Inc., Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of- Pennsylvania Application May 6, 1933, Serial No. 669,647

18 Claims. (Ci. 66-148) This invention relates to apparatus useful in topping stocking leg blanks onto pointbars such as are used to transfer the blanks to the needles of knitting machines known as footers for prosuction of the stocking feet in direct continuaion.

In topping the leg blanks of full -fashioned stockings, for example, it is the prevailing practice to employ specially designed machines which facilitate this operation. In the use of such a topping machine, the inner selvage edges of the heel tabs of the stocking blanks are aligned with the transverse row of terminal loops of the instep, and impaled with said loops on a series of fixed points; and after this has been accomplished, the swinging frame of the topping machine is actuated to strip the blank from the fixed points aforesaid onto the points of an empty transfer bar previously placed in the machine. Nothwithstanding the exercise of care on the part of the operatives in placing the transfer bars initially in the machines and also in removing them subsequently after the stockings have been topped, said bars are often accidentally dropped or bumped in consequence of which their points are either bent or broken. Considerable outlay is thus entailed to keep the bars in proper condition for use. Manual handling of the transfer bars is moreover awkward, distracting to the topper, and adverse to efficient production in that it is time consuming.

In the main, my invention is directed toward obviating the drawbacks which have been pointed out, or in other words, it has for its chief aim to eliminate insofar as it is possible, manual handling of the transfer bars witha view toward minimizing the possibility of their being injured, and, in general, to expedite the operation of topping. This desiderata I realize, as hereinafter fully disclosed, in a novel apparatus wherein the empty bars are released successively from a gravity feed storage rack, conveyed to the topping machine for application of the leg blanks, and finally deposited into a receiving rack from which the load- 5 ed bars can be easily removed in groups as re-' quired by the knitters operating the stocking footing machines.

Other objects and attendant advantages will be manifest from the detailed description following in connection 'with the attached drawings,

wherein Fig. I is a plan view of my novel stocking topping apparatus.

Fig. II is likewise a plan view of the apparatus showing an intermediate step in the manipulation of the transfer bars.

Fig. III is a left hand elevation of the apparatus with the parts positioned as in Fig. 11 and with omission of the receiving rack for the, loaded transfer bars.

Fig. IV is a view corresponding to Fig. 111 but 0 with the parts positioned as in Fig. II. 4

Fig. V is a fragmentary illustration viewed as indicated by the arrows V--V in Figs. I and III and showing the storage rack for .the empty transfer bars in front elevation. 5

Fig. VI.is an illustration corresponding to Fig.

V viewed as indicated by the arrows VI-VI in Figs. II and IV.

Fig. VII is a fragmentary detail sectional view taken as indicated by the arrows VII-VII in Fig. I and drawn to a larger scale.

Fig. VIII is like Fig. VII but with the moving parts differently positioned.

Fig. IX is a transverse fragmentary sectional view of the empty transfer bar storage rack taken as indicated by the arrows IX-IX in a Fig. II.

Figs. X and XI are fragmentary illustrations respectively viewed in accordance with the arrows XX and XI-Xf in Fig. 111. 3

Figs. XII and XIII are views like Figs. X and XI but with the moving parts differently positioned; and

Fig. XIV is .a fragmentary transverse sectional -view of the receiving rack for the loadedtransfer bars, taken as indicated by the arrows XIV-XIV in Fig. I.

As herein delineated, my stocking topping apparatus comprises a topping machine 15; a gravityfeed storage rack 16 for empty transfer bars B, which rack is disposed immediately to the left of the topping machine and fixedly supported with the latter on a table 17; and a rack 18 for loaded transfer bars B which is disposed in angular relation to the storage rack 16 and supported at substantially the same elevation as the latter rack from the floor by end standards 19.

Generally speaking, the topping machine 15 is of standard construction, in that it has a base 20 with end uprights 21 supporting a fixed bar 22 with a row of points 23 whereon the terminal edges of the stocking leg blanks S are impaled in the usual way; and a swingable frame 24 which is fulcrumed along its lower edge on pivots 25 afforded by the base 20, and which along its upper edge carries a series of stripper bits 26 that project upward between the points 23. The customary rearwardly and upwardly curved actuating handle-of the topping machine is indicated at 27. In lieu of the usual holder on the topping machine for the transfer bars B there is pro vided a carriage 28. Viewed from the front as in Figs. V and VI, this carriage 28 is U-shaped, that is to say, it has a longitudinal bottom portion 29 and upstanding end portions 30, 31. The carriage 28 is confined to travel back and forth between the topping machine 15 and'the empty transfer bar storage rack 16 on a guide track 32 which extends longitudinally of the front of the table 17, and which is suitably supported at its ends by upright brackets whereof one is shown at 33 in Figs. III and IV. To ease its movement, the carriage 28 is fitted with inset rollers as which engage the top surface of the track 32 and with pendant rollers 35 which engage opposite sides of the track. A pair of stops 35, 37 secured to the track 32 at opposite ends serve to limit the travel of the carriage 28 on said track. Pivote'd respectively at 38, 35 with capacity for limited up and down movement relative to the tops of the end portions 30, 31 of the carriage 28 are holder blocks 40, 41 which are recessed as at 42,

.43 to receive and support the ends of the transfer bars B. Normally, these holder blocks 40, ll are yieldin'gly held in the raised position shown in Figs. IV and VII with the points P of the bars B elevated above the fixed points 23 of the topping I machine bypln plungers 44 which are upwardly urged by springs 44a. interposed beneath them in guide sockets of the carriage frame. Engaged in the recess 42 of the left hand end block of the carriage 28 is a sliding keeper 45 which is held in place and limited in its movement by a screw 46. At its outer end the-slide keeper 45 has a headed projection 47 engaged by a forked upward extension 48 of a lever 49 pivoted at 50 to the corresponding end of the carriage, see Figs. V and VI. Below its pivot the lever 49 is engaged by an outwardly spring-pressed plunger pin 51 lodged in a recess 52 in the lower-portion 29 of the carriage 28, as shown in Fig. V. Normally, by action of the plunger pin-51, the keeper 45 is urged inward to hold the transfer bar B (Fig. I) in position with its right hand end abutting the shoulder of the recess iii in the holder block 41 of the carriage so that the points P of said bar register accurately with the fixed points 23 of the topping machine. To facilitate manual shifting of the carriage 28 along the. track 32, the same is provided at its right hand end with a forwardly projecting handle 53; and as said carriage is shifted leftward, the lever 49 thereon is actuated by contact with a fined stud 5d projecting laterally from the inside of the guide track 32 for a purpose later on explained. Fulcrurned at 55 on the left hand end of the carriage 28 immediately below the lever 42 (Figs. V and VII) is a trigger 56 whereof the function will also be made apparent incident to further description.

The storage rack id for the empty transfer bars B, it will be observed, comprises spaced end standards 5'? which support downwardly and forwardly inclined reversely-arranged angle section rails'58 which serve as rests for the opposite ends of the stacked transfer harsh as shown in Figs. m, X and XI, said rails being joined at the tops by a longitudinal connecting bar 59. The means provided for controlling release of the transfer bars B one after the other from the bottom of the inclined stack in the rack 16, includes two rock shafts 60 which are respectively journaled in shared bearing lugs 61 attached to the outsides of the angle rails 58. Secured to the lower end of .eachrock shaft 60 is a releasing element in the 1 form of a collar 62 with a pair of radially projectenses gaged by curved fingers 69 secured to the opposite ends of a longitudinal shaft 70 which is afforded journal support in bearing blocks 71 at the backs of the angle rails 58 of the rack 16.

For the purpose of actuating the'transfer bar.

releasing mechanism of the storage rack 16, 1 provide means including a foot treadle 72 which is hinged at 73 along itsfrontal edge to the floor. A vertical link 74. connects the swinging edge of the treadle with an arm 15 secured to a rock shaft 76 which extends longitudinally of the table at a level somewhat below the top of the latter, and which is journaled in bearing blocks 77 fastened to the'tahle legs 78. Fulcrumed at 79 at the left hand and of the table top is a bell crank member 80 whereof the pendant extremity 'the' rock shafts 50 carry fingers 68 which are enis curved as at 83 for camming action with a lateral finger projection 82 of the arm '75. The horizontal extremity .of the bell crank member 80 is, on the other hand, pivotally connected to a vertical rod 83 having sliding guidance in an aperture 84 through the track 32. The upper end of the slide rod 83 is adapted to coact with the forward projection 56a of the trigger 56 to trip the latter as hereinafter explained. Another bell crank member 85 fulcrumed at 86 to the back of the carriage track 32 has one of its extremities connected by means of a cord or cable 87 with an actuating'arm 88 on theleft hand end of the longitudinal shaft 70 of the storage rack 16, said cord or cable being guided enroute, by a sheave 89 which is supported by a bearing bracket 90 attached to said carriage track. The other entremity of the bell crank member 85 has a forwardly projecting stud 91 which is adapted to be engaged by a downward tooth 56b of the pivoted latch 58 on the carriage.

The receiving rack 18 for the filled transfer bars B is similar in construction to the storage rack 16 in that it comprises spaced reversely arranged inclined angle section rails 92 which serve as rests for the opposite ends of the transfer bar s, said rails being directly secured to the floor standards 19 and joined at their bottoms by a longitudinally connecting bar 93. Slidably guided at its opposite ends by fixed guide rods 9% on the framework of the receiving rack 18 and extending in parallelism with the inclined rails 92 of the latter, is a plate 25 which is buttressed from beneath by helical compression springs 96 surrounding said fixed guide rods. These springs 96 are so designed as to permit the plate 95 to recede progressively as the loaded transfer bars l3 accumulate in the receiving rack 18 in a manner which will be apparent from Fig. my. As shown in l and EHV the central portion 95a of the plate 95 is depressed to permit insertion of the hand for convenience of removing the loaded transfer bars B out of the receiving rack 18.

The means relied upon to automatically remove the loaded transfer bars B successively from the carriage 28 and to deposit them into the receiving rack 18, comprises an upstandingstem or shaft 97 which is supported with capacity for oscillation, in a foot bearing 98 secured to the floor, see Fig. IV, the axis of said rod being coincident with the point of intersection of the transverse plates (shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. I) centrally through the storage and receiving racks 16, 18. Axially slidable on the stem or shaft 97 is a sleeve 99', which, at its lower end, carries a ball bearing collar 100 for actuation by a cam finger 101 on the longitudinal rock shaft 76. From Figs. III and IV it will be observed that the sleeve 99 passes through a guide bracket 102 at the front edge of the table 1'7 and that it is held against rotation independently of the stem or shaft 97 by virtue of a slot engagement at 103 with a pin projection 104 of said shaft. The upper end of the sleeve 9'7 is axially split, and one of the divisions of the split is angularly bent as at 105 in Figs. III and IV for camming action with an arm 106 which is pivoted at 107 for up and down swinging movement, to the top of the stem or shaft'97. At its outer end, the arm 106 has a shouldered ledge 108 to support a loaded transfer bar B as shown in Fig. IV. As the arm 106 is swung upward, the bar-B is held to the shouldered ledge 108 by a pair of curved spring clamp fingers 109 which extend from a clamp collar 110 affixed to the top of the sleeve 99.. A gear pinion 111 somewhat below the clamp collar 110 on'the sleeve 99 is adapted to be ac-' tuated by a rack 112 on the carriage 28, and when so actuated, causes horizontal swinging movement to the arm 106 in a manner and for a purpose also later on explained. The horizontal swing of the arm 106 is limited by a lateral stud projection 113 which cooperates with a pair of angularly spaced stops 114, 115 on the foot bearing 98, see Figs. I, II, III and IV.

I The manner of use of my improved stocking topping apparatus is as follows:

Let it be assumed in Figs. I and VII that the topping machine 15 has just been operated to shift the stocking leg blank S from the fixed points 23 of said machine to the points P of the transfer bar occupying the holder of the carriage 28. Withthis accomplished, the operative grasps the handle 53 and shifts the carriage 28 leftward from the topping machine 15 until it encounters the stop 36.as shown in Fig. 11, whereby said carriage is centralized with respect to the storage rack 16. During this leftward shift of the carriage 28, the toothed rack 112 thereon coacts with the pinion 111 on the vertical sleeve 99 with the result that the arm 106 is swung horizontally from the position of Fig. I to that of Fig. II with its end disposed immediately beneath the loaded transfer bar 3' on the carriage as shown in Fig. III. Also during the leftward shift of the carriage 28, the lever 49 on the latter encounters the fixed stud 54 on the track 32, which, as shown in Fig. V results in retraction of the keeper 45 to free the loaded transfer bar B; while at the same time, the trigger finger 56 engages the stud 91 of the bell crank element 85 with attendant actuation of the releasing mechanism on the storage rack 16 through the medium of the cord or cable 87. Following this induced action through, it will be observed from Figs. III and V,

69, 68 into rocking movement of the shafts 60 on the rack 16, whereby said shafts and the ele-- ments 62 thereon are turned in opposite directions through a quadrant and the wings 64 retracted to permit the stack of empty transfer bars B in the rack to shift downward to the wings 63 which are concurrently moved into active position. The operative next depresses the pedal 72 thereby to actuate the rock shaft '76 with attendant lifting of the cam finger 101 and raising of the sleeve 99 on the vertical axis shaft 97. Incident to this shift of the sleeve 99, the laterally bent portion 105 at the top of the latter operates to swing the arm 106 upward on its pivot 107 from the position shown in Fig. III to the position shown in Fig. IV whereby the loaded transfer bar B is raised clear of the holder blocks 40, 41 on' the carriage 28 so that the latter may receive a new'empty transfer bar from the rack 16. As depression of the pedal 72 continues the lateral finger 82 on the lever 75 (Fig. III) coacts with the pendant extremity 81 of the bell crank member to bring about an upward thrust of the rod 83 whereby the trigger 56 is tripped as in Fig. VI to release the bell crank member 85. The spring 67a thereupon reacts to swing the rock shafts 60 and the elements 62 thereon back to the normal positions shown in Figs. I, VI, XII and XIII with resultant release of the empty transfer bar B lowermost in the rack 16. The lower bar being thus freed falls by gravity into the holders 40, 41 of the carriage 28. Keeping the foot pedal '72 depressed, the operative next shifts the carriage 28 with the I new empty transfer bar thereon, from the storage rack 16 rightward in Fig. II back to the top ping machine 15 as illustrated in Fig. I. As an incident to this shift of the carriage 28, the sleeve 99, with the arm 106 still elevated as in Fig. IV, is horizontally swung anti-clockwise from the position of Fig. II through cooperation of the rack 112 on the carriage with the pinion 111 on the sleeve to the position shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. XIV above the receiving rack 18. Finally the operative releases the pedal 72 to permit descent of the arm 106 to the position shown in full lines in-Fig. IHV, whereby the loaded transfer bar B which has just been removed from the carriage 28, is deposited automatically into the receiving rack 18. -With the carriage 28 now in position at the topping machine, the operative depresses-the empty transfer bar B with a finger as shown in Fig. II (the holder blocks 40 and 41 yielding under the action of the springs 44a of the plungers 44) to bring the points P of said bar into contact with the fixed points 23 of the topping machine, and thereupon draws the handle 27 forward to shift the stocking blank S previously placed on the the points P of the bar.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A stocking topping apparatus comprising a topping machine; a storage rack for empty transfer bars; a means to convey the transfer bars successively from the storage rack to the topping machine for application thereto of stocking leg blanks; and a holder on the conveying means to normally support the transfer bars at an elevation to clear the fixed loop engaging points of the toppingmachine, incident to shifting of the conveying means, said holder being yieldingly mounted wth capacity for being depressed to bring the points of the supported transfer bar into contact with the fixed fabric-loop-engaging points of the topping machine incident to application of the stocking blanks.

2. A stocking topping apparatus comprising a topping machine, a storage rack for the empty transfer bars; a means to convey the transfer bars successively from the storage rack to the topping machine for application thereto of stocking leg blanks; a holder on the conveying means having engaging recesses to accommodate the ends of the transfer bars and to normally support the bars at an elevation to clear the fixed loop engaging points of the topping machine incident to shifting of the conveying means, said holder being yieldingly mounted with capacity for being depressed to bring the points of the transfer bars into contact with the fixed fabric-loop-engaging points of the topping machine incident to application of the stocking leg blanks.

3. A stocking topping apparatus comprising a topping machine; a storage rack for empty transfer bars; a carriage to convey the transfer bars successively from the storage rack to the topping machine for application of stocking leg blanks to said bars; a holder on said carriage having a stop shoulder for abutment of one end of the transfer bar, and a spring-urged keeper to engage the other end of the bar for maintenance of the first mentioned end thereof normally in contact with the aforesaid shoulder; and means automatically operative as the carriage is shifted to the storage rack, to retract the keeper in preparation for the removal of the loaded transfer bar and the substitution therefor of an empty transfer bar from the storage rack.

4. A stocking topping apparatus comprising a topping machine; a storage rack for empty transfer bars; a carriage to convey the transfer bars successively from the storage rack to the topping machine for application of stocking leg blanks to said bars; a holder on said carriage having a stop shoulder for abutment of one end of the bar, and a spring-urged keeper to engage the other end of the bar for maintenance of the first mentioned end thereof normally in contact with the shoulder aforesaid; an abutment in the path of the carriage automatically operative as said carriage is shifted to the storage rack, to actuate a lever whereby the keeper is retracted in preparation for the removal of the loaded transfer bar and the substitution therefor of an empty transfer bar from the storage rack.

5. A stocking topping apparatus comprising a topping machine; a storage rack for empty transfer bars; a carriage to convey the empty transfer bars successively from the storage rack to the topping machine for application thereto of stocking leg blanks; release means automatically set as the carriage is shifted to the storage rack in preparation for release .of a transfer bar from said rack; and means for subsequently actuating the release means for release and placement of such empty transfer bar into the carriage when the latter is positioned at the storage rack.

6. A stocking topping apparatus comprising a topping machine; a gravity-feed storage rack for empty transfer bars; a carriage to convey the empty bars successively from the storage rack to the topping machine for application to them of stocking leg blanks; release means automatically set, as the carriage is shifted to the storage rack in preparation for the release of an empty transfer bar from said rack; and means to subsequently remove the loaded transfer bar from the carriage and at the same time to actuate the release means for release of an empty transfer bar so that it may drop from the storage rack onto the carriage.

'7. A stocking topping apparatusfcomprising a topping machine; a gravity-feed storage rack for empty transfer bars; a carriage to convey the empty transfer bars successively from the storage rack to the topping machine for application to them of stocking leg blanks; releasing means on the carriage including a pair of spring-influenced rotary elements to engage the lowermost bar in the rack at the ends, each having a pair of wings in quadrant relation and spaced apart by the thickness of a transfer bar; means whereby, as the carriage is shifted to the storage rack, the rotary releasing elements are actuated and set against spring influence to permit the lowermost bar in the stack to drop from the first set of wings to the second set of said elements; and means for removing the loaded transfer bar from the carriage and at the same time tripping the release means so that the'lowe'rmost empty transfer bar is freed to drop from the storage rack onto the carriage in place of the removed loaded transfer bar.

8. Stocking topping apparatus comprising a topping machine; a storage rack for empty transfer bars; means to convey the empty transfer bars successively from the storage rack to. the topping machine for application to them of stocking leg blanks; and pedal-actuated means for removing the loaded transfer bars from the carriage after topping and for releasing an empty transfer bar from the storage rack onto the carriage.

9. A stocking topping apparatus comprising a topping machine; a storage rack for empty transfer bars; a receiving rack for loaded vtransfer bars; means to convey the empty transfer bars successively from the storage rack to the topping machine for application to them of stocking leg blanks; means for releasing an empty transfer bar from the storage rack when the carriage is shifted from the topping machine to said storage rack; means for removing the loaded transfer bars from the conveying means after topping; pedal means for actuating the removing means; and means automatically actuated incident to shifting of the conveying means to the. topping machine to position the removing means aforesaid at the receiving rack for deposit into the latter of the loaded transfer bar.

10. A stocking topping apparatus comprising a topping machine; a storage rack for empty transfer bars; a receiving rack for loaded transfer bars; a carriage to convey the emptytransfer bars successively from the storage rack to the topping machine for application to them of stocking leg blanks; a horizontally swinging arm for removing the loaded transfer bars from the carriage; a toothed rack on the carriage adapted to cooperate with a pinion on the axis of the removing arm aforesaid, whereby, as the carriage isshifted to the storage rack, said arm is swung into position to take the loaded bar from the carriage, and whereby, as said carriage is subsequently shifted with a new empty transfer bar thereon to the topping machine, the removing arm is reversely swung to the receiving rack to deposit the loaded transfer bar.

11. A stocking topping apparatus comprising a topping machine; a storage rack for empty transfer bars; a carriage to convey the empty transfer bars successively from the storage rack to the topping machine for application to them of stocking leg blanks; a receiving rack for the loaded transfer bars; mechanism for removing the loaded transfer bars from the carriage and depositing them in the receiving rack at each actuation of said carriage, including an arm pivoted for up and down movement to a vertical axis shaft, means whereby the arm maybe swung upward on its pivot to lift the loaded transfer bar from the carriage; and means automatically operated as the carriage, after having received another empty transfer bar from the storage rack, is subsequently shifted to the topping machine, to horizontally swing said arm for deposit of the loaded transfer bar into the receiving rack.

12. A stocking topping apparatus comprising a topping machine; a storage rack for empty transfer bars; a carriage to convey the empty transfer bars successively from.the storage rack to the topping machine for application to them of stock-- ing leg blanks; a receiving rack for the loaded transfer bars; a horizontally swinging arm; and means whereby said arm is automatically brought into position to engagethe loaded transfer bar as the carriage is shifted to the receiving rack, and as the carriage is shifted away'from the receiving rack, after having received an empty transfer bar therefrom, said arm is reversely swung to place the loaded transfer bar in the receiving rack.

13. A stocking topping apparatus comprising 'a topping machine; a storage rack for empty' transfer bars; a carriage to convey the empty transfer bars successively from the storage rack to the topping machine for application to them of stocking leg blanks; a receiving rack for the loaded transfer bars; an arm for removing the loaded transfer bars from the carriage, said arm being pivoted for up and down movement to a vertical axis shaft; a sleeve slidable on said axis shaft; a foot pedal with intermediate con-' nections whereby the aforesaid sleeve is shifted 14. A stocking topping apparatus comprising a topping machine; a storage rack for empty transfer bars; a carriage to convey the empty transfer bars successively from the storage rack to the topping machine'for application to them of stocking leg blanks; a receiving rack for the loaded transfer bars; an arm for removing the loaded transfer bars from the carriage, said arm beipg pivoted for up and down movement to a vertical axis tuated as the carriage is shifted to the storage rack to position the arm with its end beneath the loaded transfer bar on the carriage; means whereby the arm may be swung upward on its pivot to lift the loaded transfer bar from the carriage; spring fingers on the axis shaft of said arm to clamp the loaded transfer bar as said arm is raised; and means whereby incident to shaft; means automatically acshifting of the carriage to the topping machine after placement thereon of a new empty bar from the storage rack, and'while the arm is maintained in raised position, to swing said arm for deposit of the loaded transfer bar into the receiving rack.

15. A stocking topping apparatus comprising a topping machine; a serially-aligned storage rack for empty transfer bars; a slide carriage reciprocable on a track longitudinally of the topping machine and the rack to convey the empty transfer bars successively from said rack to the topping machine for. application to them of stocking leg blanks; and means actuated by the carriage for removing the bars after application of the stocking blanks.

16. A stocking topping apparatus comprising a topping machine; a serially-aligned storage rack for empty transfer bars; a receiving rack for. loaded transfer bars opposite the storage rack; a slide carriage reciprocable on a track longitudinally of the toppin machine and the storage rack, and between the latter and the receiving rack, said carriage being adapted to convey the empty transfer bars successively from slide carriage reciprocable on a track longitudinally of the topping machine and the -itorage rack to convey the empty transfer bars successively from the rack to the topping machine for application to them of stocking leg blanks;

means actuated by the carriage for removing the transfer bars after application of the stockings; and means operatively coordinated with the removing means for successively releasing the. empty transfer bars from the gravity storage rack onto the carriage.

18. A stocking topping apparatus comprising a topping machine; a serially-aligned gravity feed storage rack with release means for empty "transfer bars; a slide carriage reciprocable on a track longitudinally of the topping machine and the rack to convey theempty transfer bars successively from the storage rack to the topping machine for application to them of stocking leg blanks; means actuated by the carriage for removing the transfer bars after application of the stocking blanks; and means coordinated with the removing means to operate the release means aforesaid for discharge of new empty transfer bars successively from the storage rack onto the carriage.

Josrzen mums, an. 

